When you travel to a ski resort town, you need to be doubly careful. These sorts of places are far from the kinds you're probably used to. They're too small to be considered cities, they're not tropical like various popular destinations are, and in essence, you're all the way atop massive mountains. Who knows what sort of trouble you'd get into if you're not careful? To avoid any such stress, follow a few travel tips. They include packing the right essentials, doing other activities apart from skiing, and knowing when to get out of the cold.
Purchase Tickets In Advance
First things first, you'd do well to purchase all your tickets in advance. From public transport to entry into the ski resort town's various attractions, it's better that you buy all of them before you get to your destination. For one thing, the prices tend to be lower when bought online and prior to the set dates at hand. Not only do you get to save effort, but you get to save a couple of bucks too. The difference may not be all that much at first, but as you continue on with your trip and its many expenses, you'll realize that it really does matter.
Get A Ski Pass
A ski pass is basically a travel pass that lets you gain access to various features in a ski resort town, the most common of which is the ski lift. Without a ski pass, you'll have to fall in line to get tickets to the lift (and other public transport systems in the town) which can take up a lot of time depending on the crowd. Moreover, some ski passes also apply to other attractions within the town. Let's say you want to warm up with some
hot chocolate in Whistler, Canada, for example. With an Epic ski pass, you get to save as much as 20% on your beverage!
Don't Ski if You Don't Want To
Just because you're in a ski resort town, it doesn't mean you have to ski. The sport may be the most common activity to do in town, but it's not exactly a requirement. If you don't want to, you don't have to do it. And in fact, it's arguably more dangerous if you force yourself to ski. The worst thing that could happen is you get into a serious accident. Or at the very least, you take up the slot of someone who does want to ski and waste it by feeling annoyed all through the session. That doesn't sound like the ideal holiday, does it?
Always Put On Sunscreen
Don't forget that going to a ski town exposes you to the sun. Just because it's freezing, it doesn't mean you've escaped the sun's rays and its possible harmful effects. On the contrary, since you're atop a mountain, you're even more exposed to the sun compared to if you're on a beach on a tropical
Caribbean island. You're nearer to it, and as such, you need to wear sunscreen. Put on a coat or two before going out, even if you plan to wear thick coats, goggles, and more. As covered up as you are when you're skiing, you're exposed the moment you get off the slopes.
Never Skip Ski Lessons if You're A Beginner
The worst thing you could do in a ski resort town is to skip the ski lessons when you're a beginner. You won't just put yourself in danger when you do, but others in the area as well. You simply can't go on the slopes before you've learned the basics, at the very least. There's no telling what might happen to a beginner like you when you're on the
French Alps, for example. There's also no telling how you might affect others, even the most experienced skier when you're up there not knowing what to do!
Avoid Slopes You Can't Handle
In relation to never skipping lessons when you're a beginner, you should also stick to slopes that are in line with your skills. For those who don't know, slopes are classified according to skill level. Sportsmen use colors to determine which is which. The blue ski run is “easy” while the red ski run is “intermediate” and the black ski run is “difficult.” As such, beginners are required to stay on blue ski runs, experienced skiers are encouraged to remain on red ski runs, and black ski runs are mostly reserved for athletes and the like.
Bring Your Own Gear
Although renting ski gear is common, it's still better to bring your own. Firstly, there's no fee for using your own, which means you don't have to pay for anything. Secondly, there's no risk to paying for damages too. You can play winter sports as much and as confidently as you can when using your own gear. Third, using your own stuff is a lot healthier too. If there's one thing that the COVID-19 pandemic taught the world, it's to always be as sanitized as possible. There's no telling what sort of germs stay on rental gear used by various people, even if the business takes proper care of cleaning them after every use.
Take A Day Off Every Once in A While
Don't underestimate just how strenuous and rigorous skiing and other winter sports are. Even if you fancy yourself as an Olympic-level athlete, it's important to take a day off or two. Don't spend all your time in a ski resort town just skiing. Let your body rest every once in a while. Stay at home (especially if you're
renting a luxury chalet!), go sightseeing, warm up in a cafe, and more. Ski resort towns might not be as lively as big cities, but they have their fair share of unique and fascinating attractions too. And they're not all about skiing!
Prepare For The Crowds
Don't underestimate just how crowded ski resort towns can get! You probably think that warmer destinations like the
Greek Islands or the Southeast Asian tropics—not to mention the popular big cities too!—are more likely to be crowded in winter. As true as that is, ski resort towns still get pretty filled up just the same. Not all tourists want to escape the winter cold by going to the beach. Some actually prefer to embrace the seasonal climate and go somewhere they can ski and play all sorts of winter sports. Once you understand this, you'll have an easier time navigating these sorts of destinations.
Do you plan to travel to a ski resort town soon? If you do, then follow these tips when you're there. It pays to remember these things when you get there as these places are unlike any other and it's easy to get into all sorts of trouble if you're not careful.
